Well, here we are - top ten time at American Idol! Here are my thoughts after our good Christian tall girl said goodbye last week. The songs are from the catalog of Billy Joel, so naturally, Diddy (dirty money?) was on hand to help him out. Huh? As always, I comment before I hear the judges spew their non-venom at the group. Here goes:

DeAndre: "Only The Good Die Young" - At first I thought he was going to be in trouble, but I actually like his voice on this track- his rasp is very evocative of one of my favorites from the 80s, Terence Trent D'Arby - if he could tap into that more often I would become a fan. Petered out at the end though.

Erika: "New York State Of Mind" - I love this song, but I'd don't love it for her because I think that it makes her too lounge lizard-ee. Or maybe that's just the Pat Make-Benatar-Over she got from Hilfiger.

Joshua: "She's Got A Way" - I don't think I would ever admit that I had never heard this song, but hey, I'm not a 20something anymore. This is not going to be one of his most memorable performances - he's not convincing singing with anything that doesn't turn into a gospel anthem - and man, that is not what this song is about. He can still wail, no question - but I wasn't a huge fan.

Skyler: "Shameless" - a smart pick, since Garth Brooks covered it back in the day. Great, but again, not her best. She's not going anywhere though. I just don't think it's possible to blow a song like that out of the water really. I still like her a lot.

Elise: "Vienna" - In some ways, I think the lack of familiarity with this song may help her, mainly because she's the first one so far who has really connected with the lyrics that she's singing - so it makes her come off as someone singing "her own" song more so that the rest. I didn't understand that Lady Gaga-esque run with the puppet hand at the end, but man, it was a great performance.

Phillip: "Movin' Out" - Okay, now don't get me wrong, I like Phillip, but not every song in every genre needs to be sent to the Dave Matthews Band school of style and meldy manipulation. It was really good. Can this last? I don't know if it can for me, but he's safe for sure.

Hollie: "Honesty" - great song pick for her, I can't wait to hear it. She can't hear herself well enough to stay in tune - a little sharp in places. Not sure about the silver wonder woman garb. It's like "Wonder Woman In The City." Great ending I thought, but I would say that most of the angst she was showing us was frustration from the experience of performing and not necessarily the passion of the lyric.

Heejun: "My Life" - well, now I know why they didn't reveal his song choice in the video open. I loved the joke with the crooning in the beginning - but it wasn't until the breakdown of the chorus that the song actually worked for me for him. Prior to that, it was karaoke. And that isn't an asian joke, I promise. Well, maybe just a rittle bit.

Jessica: "Everybody Has a Dream" - Maybe the least brilliant song picked so far. I don't know this song, but I'm going to assume that it's from Billy Joel's as yet unproduced musical about Jacob's Ladder. Obviously she's amazing, but I could have cared less about this song. My favorite part was when she sang to Diddy. That was real, and I believed her then.

Colton: "Piano Man" - Okay, I really liked this. Even though he's turning the piano part into a song by the Fray. And what's not to like about the Prince garb? Speaking of Prince, when are we going to get a Prince week? I would love to hear Colton sing Darling Nikki in that coat. To me, that was better than Jessica, who got a standing O for her rendition. Where's his standing O?

Random Notes:So Tommy Hilfiger is on board to help with fashion. Feels desperate to me.Is there a worse idea than Erika's hair transformation?Okay, I just slammed Joshua for admitting that he didn't know "She's Got a Way" - and then Steven Tyler says he doesn't know it!?!? Oh wait - that song was written and recorded in the 70s, he doesn't remember Aerosmith songs from the 70s, much less anyone else's… This is your brain on Aerosmith…Okay, so Elise doesn't have to wear the bell bottoms? Tommy has no say in this? Come on man.Diddy brings his "ladies" to be crooned to by Phillip. Gross? Or maybe it was just gross.This Tommy Hilfiger thing is really going to backfire if it becomes so painfully obvious that the contestants are not bound to his advice.Best quote of the night - Diddy: (about Heejun) "I don't even know if he's… Asian."Okay, so Steven Tyler calls Heejun out for not taking the moment seriously. Hmmm. Cause "Dude looks like a lady" is all about serious work. If I have to see that oval behind the singers separate dramatically one more time I'm calling Carl Sagan to get him to make it stop.I do enjoy hearing conflicting advice from two mentors. I think that lends credibility to the premise that in the end, everyone's opinion is exactly that.Oh sh*t, Colton just went Tebow on us. It's like a coming out party for evangelicals when he asks God to "use me" on national television. Boom!

So who is going home? I don't know, but with only ten, even with a great performance, I think Elise will be in the bottom three - maybe with DeAndre and Erika.

Comments

pamz

03/22/2012 12:07am

I'm getting the vibe that this is a really rebellious Top 10 - as in, they're not going to let Hollywood & the AI dictate how they should sound, look or talk. That stood out more to me tonite, than the music! Phillip, Heejun & Colton seemed particularly peeved at "the system", but maybe I'm reading too much into things?

I agree with your opinions on this week, for the most part. I did like Jessica's live performance, but I know what you mean - that tiny bit that she sang to Diddy was cuh-razy good. I think DeAndre was the weakest tonite... and since he went first as well, has a high chance of going home this week. We shall see ...

wow ! soundz like a echo from our house ! good on ya - could not agree more about TH do all idols (not just american) HAVE to be fashion savy ? and while on the SOAP BOX is every J-LO ex going to be a mentor ? and what you said about Colton going Tebow...luvs me a christian that will say "poop" when he gotz a mouthful....how about a show where the artist can just compete with the talent they have ? oh yeah - that was called Ted Mack's original amatur hour...now that I've proven that I 'm older than the term "rock & roll" I'll shut my pie hole and go read MY DAILY BREAD DEVOTIONAL....go to black-

But I did see Hejun when I did remember to turn it on, and he was awful. And then I fell asleep for a few moments. I woke to Colton "using God," or God "using him, " or whatever he said, and I was pleased.

But I am not pleased with your implied cussing. Tsk, tsk.

Reply

Patricia

03/22/2012 7:39pm

Finally watched last night's show - I spent my Wednesday with 20,000 other crazies at the Blackhawks game!! I'm hoping Heejun goes home - I don't think he's that good and his humor (or lack of), is wearing on me. Loved Colton - I liked him before I found out he is a worship leader somewhere. He's been told by Idol that his inferences to Christianity in tweets etc may hurt him which is probably why he's vocal in his beliefs.

Reply

pamz

03/22/2012 8:47pm

Wow, genuinely surprised by tonite's elimination - totally expected HeeJun or DeAndre to go home (hey, they both have two capital letters in their first name, what's up with that?). ... Oh well.